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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. firm — a company
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pit — in a race
  5. track — a path
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rule — government
  8. current — of water
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. scale — size or range
  11. roll — a cake
  12. firm — decided
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. firm — steady
  15. track — a song
  16. roll — a list
  17. current — electric
  18. scale — in music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. dip — to sink
  21. current — happening now
  22. rule — a law
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pit — a hole

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com